"Be good... call me husband..."
The man's heavy breathing grew hotter.
"You...hus...ah..." Biting her lip and trembling all over, Song Jinyu clenched her fists tightly.
After their passionate entanglement subsided, Zhongli Mingye held her contentedly. His hoarse voice rang in Song Jinyu's ear, "My concubine, the way you call me husband... is so sweet!" He added, "From now on, call me husband every day."
"..."
She was so sleepy that she was too lazy to respond. With the blush still lingering on her face, she soon fell into a deep sleep.
Early in the morning, Song Jinyu opened her eyes. Zhongli Mingye had already dressed himself. "I'll ask for leave today," he said.
"Will the Emperor agree?"
"I've made contributions and endured hardships in the silver note case. Why wouldn't he agree?" After saying that, he suddenly leaned over, his phoenix eyes filled with a smile. "I really wish I could just stay in bed with you all day long."
Hearing this, Song Jinyu quickly pulled up the quilt, shyly avoiding his gaze. "Hurry up and go!" Every time they were together, they were so passionate as if they wanted to blend into each other. After a whole night of passion, he could still be fresh and energetic enough to go to court early in the morning, while poor her could hardly get up.
Niaoniao and Micui were used to this. They would wake her up for breakfast only when the sun was high in the sky.
When he returned from court, his eyes were beaming with joy. "Let's go!"
Zhongli Mingye snatched the book out of Song Jinyu's hand. "When?"
"Now! Right away! Immediately!"
Zhongli Mingye couldn't wait to take her out of the Prince Yu's Mansion. Three months had passed since they last came to the mountain villa on the outskirts of the capital. This time, there were no lotus flowers in the lake, but the crabs were at their fattest.
The steward of the villa sent someone to prepare a crab feast specifically.
"Drunken mature crabs in aged Huadiao wine, crab powder lion's head, crab powder stewed fish head in a stone pot, crab powder soup dumplings, crab powder cold noodles..." Just hearing the names of the dishes made one's mouth water.
Seeing her wide - open eyes, Zhongli Mingye found it even more amusing. He gently pushed the crab powder soup dumplings in front of Song Jinyu. "The imperial physician said your body is cold."
"Although the crabs are delicious, you should eat less."
Song Jinyu's disappointed look was so cute that he couldn't help pinching her pink ear and whispering, "We still need to have a child!"
A child?
She was a bit at a loss. A child of theirs? Somehow, she felt a glimmer of expectation in her heart.
"This soup dumpling is good. Try it!"
It was not just good; it was simply a delicacy from heaven! It was so delicious! She ate with increasing delight. This was really the best season for eating crabs.
Although he said she should eat less, Zhongli Mingye still let her taste every dish.
In return, she tried to peel the crabs for him like he did. Unfortunately... she didn't know how to use those tools at all, so she just used her hands directly.
The scene was a bit of a mess, but Zhongli Mingye still ate the crab meat from her soft hands. After eating, he kissed her snow - white palm. What he was eating was clearly not the crab but her.
His eyes were so hot that it seemed as if he would melt her.
Song Jinyu quickly withdrew her hand, her face blushing. This man was really something.
After the crab feast, the two strolled in the garden. Suddenly, they found that there were still many red persimmons on the persimmon tree. Zhongli Mingye leaped onto the tree and picked a handful for her.
"These persimmons are specially left for the sparrows in winter," Song Jinyu said while eating. "We're like robbing their food."
"It doesn't matter. The garden is big enough," he said, gently wiping the juice from the corner of her lips. The autumn night breeze was blowing gently.
He took off his cloak and wrapped Song Jinyu in it. "Do you think we knew each other in our previous lives?" Song Jinyu looked at him with a smile, cherishing every bit of his tenderness in her heart.
"Whether there were previous lives or not, and no matter about the next life, in this life, you belong to me!"
She hugged him tightly. "Yes, and you belong to me too!" My husband, my only love.
"Listen!"
The sound of a cricket came. Zhongli Mingye caught the one that was chirping the most merrily. "Hey, last year, I even went to Lin Ziyu's house to fight crickets!"
Suddenly remembering the early - deceased girl, his eyes dimmed. "You've already avenged her. By now, she must have been reincarnated."
"Remember? Once I saw you with Yu Duanya by the river!" At that time, she began to be jealous of all the women around him.
"Yes, I also saw you with Lin Yijun!"
"..."
She was amused by his serious look, and the sad mood was dispelled.
As if remembering something,
"Mingye... Why are you so persistent about me?" She had always wanted to ask but often forgot. Now that she had the chance, she naturally asked.
Zhongli Mingye looked at her deeply. "There's no reason. It's just about what I want or not!"
Was this an answer? Song Jinyu was dissatisfied. He hugged her. "I want to be with you. We must be together. No one can stop us!"
"..."
This man was as overbearing and unreasonable as ever.
Suddenly, she laughed. "You're really..." Indeed, it was only his deep affection and overbearingness that had tied her to him firmly.
No matter whether it was sadness, sorrow, happiness, or bliss, for the rest of her life, she would be closely related to him.
Early the next morning,
"Catch!" Zhongli Mingye was leaning on a tree branch, picking the biggest apple.
He threw it down.
Song Jinyu was holding a cloth bag and catching it below.
"This apple is so big!" Her eyes sparkled. "Come down quickly and take a bite!" Her words made Zhongli Mingye restless, and he jumped directly from the tree.
The son of Steward Li, Xiaoshitou, ran over. "Are you a fairy from the sky?" The three - year - old child made Song Jinyu laugh so hard that she bent over. She couldn't help but squat down. "No, I'm not."
"My mother said you are a fairy from the sky!"
She was amused by his words and liked him very much. She gave the apple to Xiaoshitou.
"Your Highness, Princess, please forgive my rudeness. I've disturbed you!" Afraid of offending the two noble people, Steward Li quickly picked up Xiaoshitou. Seeing how much she liked children, Zhongli Mingye joked, "We can just have one of our own." Hearing this again, Song Jinyu remembered what Lady Xiang had said and the smart Lingyu at home.
What would their child look like?
The days in the villa were plain but happy. During the day, they went fishing in the river together, picked fruits from the trees, dug a lot of sweet potatoes in the fields, and also looked at the cabbages stored in the cellar.
Song Jinyu playfully asked Zhongli Mingye to eat the fried silkworm pupae. "Don't worry! They're really delicious..."
Watching her eat one after another with a beaming smile, he finally summoned up his courage and picked up his chopsticks. They were indeed delicious. He quietly ate up a whole plate.
"Come on, I'll take you to catch scorpions!"
"That's a poisonous creature!!!" Zhongli Mingye watched as she happily moved a stone aside, revealing a fat scorpion inside.
It was curled up and motionless.
Song Jinyu looked nonchalant. "After frying in oil, they're super delicious!"
They're also very nourishing!
"..." Was his princess willing to eat anything?
At night, Zhongli Mingye clung to her passionately and only let her go when she pleaded with sobs. He didn't know why, but every time he was with her, he would lose control and couldn't stop.
Before going to sleep, Song Jinyu faintly regretted why she had taken him to eat so many fried scorpions.
Scorpions can enhance male vitality and nourish the kidneys!